Murder victim Barbara Tassinari remembered for her kindness

Wednesday

Apr 30, 2008 at 12:01 AMApr 30, 2008 at 11:54 AM

Many people turned out at a funeral Mass for murder victim Barbara Tassinari at St. Joseph’s Church on Tuesday, and despite the violent way in which she died, the mood of the moment focused clearly on the good she brought to the world around her.

Don Conkey

As Maria Wilson spoke of her sister and the things she will remember about her, tears flowed throughout St. Joseph’s Church. But it was the mention of something seemingly insignificant – dill dip – that brought a different response.

Laughter.

“She was famous for her dill dip. For years she brought dill dip to everything. Sometimes, she even would bring dill dip without the dill, because she didn’t happen to have any in the house,” Wilson said.

“Finally, last year, we told her she could not make dill dip anymore. It was time to find a new recipe.”

So, on the next family occasion, Tassinari happily complied. Out with the dill dip, in with buffalo chicken dip.

Wilson said her sister was like that, always willing to do anything to make people happy.

“She was a wonderful person, and needs to be remembered,” Wilson said.

Barbara Tassinari was murdered last Tuesday at her Abington home. The mother of two was 29. Her husband, John Tassinari, also 29, has been charged with shooting her to death in their driveway.

A funeral Mass was celebrated Tuesday at St. Joseph’s Church in the Quincy Point section of the city where Tassinari grew up.

The Rev. Joseph Raeke, who knew Tassinari from the time she was a baby, spoke to her family members about her love for them, and theirs for her.

“Tragically, all that love could not protect Barbara in that fateful moment. No one could have,” the Rev. Raeke said.

“Focus on your love,” he said. “To focus on anything else will keep you from peace.”

Barbara Tassinari graduated from Archbishop Williams High School in Braintree.

Among the family members she leaves are two sons, 10-year-old Noah and 1-year-old Frankie.

Noah participated in the Mass, presenting the gifts.

“Barbara Jean loved her children with all of her heart and soul,” Wilson said. “She just touched so many lives, in so many ways.”

As Wilson finished speaking, she read off a “a tip of the iceberg of things we need to remember about Barbara Jean.”